Undercover Police Arrest Fugitive Drug Dealer

Pictures courtesy of MGR

Police have arrested a fugitive drug dealer accused of murdering his wife, following an undercover operation that involved officers posing as a young woman online and a beggar. The suspect, who had been on the run for months, was captured in Bangkok, bringing a high-profile domestic murder case to a close.

The arrest took place on 24 December 2025, when officers from the Crime Suppression Division detained Mr Suriya, aged 37, from Nong Bua Lamphu province. He was arrested on a pedestrian overpass along Srinakarin Road in Prawet district, Bangkok, under a warrant issued by the Nong Bua Lamphu Provincial Court on 29 March 2024. The charges include murder, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, and discharging a firearm in a community without cause.

The case dates back to 28 March 2024, when Mr Suriya allegedly shot his wife, Ms Laddawan, aged 37, in the head at their home in Kud Hae subdistrict, Na Klang district, Nong Bua Lamphu. The couple had three children together. After the shooting, the suspect reportedly fled the scene on a green-and-black Yamaha WR 155 motorcycle without licence plates, taking the firearm used in the killing.

Investigators said Mr Suriya was a major drug agent operating in the Na Klang area. The motive for the killing was believed to be anger after his wife allegedly took money from drug sales that he had entrusted to her and spent several hundred thousand baht on online gambling, including slot games. Following the incident, police gathered evidence and placed him on the Royal Thai Police’s wanted list for 2025, ranking him 93rd.

During his time on the run, the suspect moved between provinces, avoided contact with family members and did not use a personal mobile phone, complicating efforts to track him down. Police eventually deployed an undercover strategy, with Pol Capt Nitithorn Prachankanjana creating a fake TikTok profile posing as an attractive young woman. By interacting with the suspect’s social circle online, officers learned he was hiding in Bangkok and arranged a meeting at a short-stay hotel in Prawet.

At the same time, Pol Capt Nitithorn disguised himself as a beggar on a nearby pedestrian bridge. When the suspect arrived at the meeting point, officers moved in and arrested him. A search found Viagra tablets, condoms and a key to the short-stay hotel room. During the arrest, the suspect reportedly said, “I managed to stay on the run for so long, I should never have been caught because of a woman.”

Manager online reported that the suspect denied all charges during questioning and requested to give evidence in court. He has been handed over to investigators at Na Klang Police Station for further legal proceedings.

Key Takeaways

• Police used online deception and physical disguise to locate and arrest a murder suspect in Bangkok.

• The suspect is accused of killing his wife in March 2024 following a dispute over drug money lost to online gambling.

• He now faces multiple serious criminal charges and has been transferred for prosecution in Nong Bua Lamphu.

Related stories

Thai-woman-arrested-over-murder-of-German-husband

Man-kills-mother-in-law-before-suicide-after-four-hour-standoff

 Adapted by Asean Now from MGRonline 2025-12-25